


Cloud9

by saccharineflower



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Baseball, Fluff, Inspired by Studio Ghibli, M/M, Reminiscing, Studio Ghibli References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 05:26:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16361702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saccharineflower/pseuds/saccharineflower
Summary: Kyungsoo experienced his first crush five years ago.





	Cloud9

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still mad that Taeko and Hirota didn't end up together so here it is
> 
> Also, unbeta-ed

 

_The hallway of the school buzzes with laughter and excited talks, students filling and piling up at the long and wide way._

 

_Kyungsoo's inside their classroom, talking to his friends about paperworks in economics when there's a sudden, little comotion._

 

_"Is Doh Kyungsoo in this class?" a boy with annoying voice says loudly at the door of their classroom. He looks around the room, looking for someone when those eyes darts to Kyungsoo and smirks. "There he is."_

 

_Kyungsoo looks at his friends first, frowning and turns around to see three students, not from their class, walking in unison and grins prominent on their faces._

 

_Baekhyun raises an eyebrow and looks at the intruders._

 

_"What are you doing here?"_

 

_The guy at the middle giggles and the two other join, three of them go into giggle fit until the guy at the middle looks at him._

 

_"Kim Jongin from our class says he likes you."_

 

_Flabbergasted and confused, his mouth can't do anything but to gape a little, looking with his wide eyes at the three students from 1-14._

 

_"He wrote your names on the wall at the backside of school." one of them says and go into giggle fit again._

 

_The guy at the middle turns with a wide smile on his face, the other two following him as they sprints away to go outside of the classroom, still laughing while running._

 

_"We'll tell him we told you!"_

 

_Kyungsoo can't do nothing but to stare, following the three guys with his wide eyes, watching them squeals while running._

 

_Minseok looks at him with a small smile while Baekhyun crosses his arms, chin tilted up with a raised eyebrow._

 

_"We'll look at that wall after class."_

 

_Kyungsoo didn't get the chance to say anything because the lecturer enters and tells them to sit on their respective chairs._

 

 

_After class, Kyungsoo along with his classmate friends, -Baekhyun, Minseok, and Tao didn't go out of the gate of the school. Instead, they go to the backside of the school where a small alley is, a path for the school's dead leaves damper._

 

_Minseok takes a look, walking inside the alley a bit but the words written at the wall with mixed of white and yellow chalk is clear._

 

**_Kim Jongin and Doh Kyungsoo_ **

 

_Baekhyun looks at Tao to asks. "Do you know who Kim Jongin is?" and the taller shakes his head._

 

_"I don't know who he is, too." Minseok says and all three of them looks at Kyungsoo slowly._

 

_Baekhyun tilts his head aside leans his head closer to Kyungsoo's side. "You know him?"_

 

_Kyungsoo panics, embarrassment and nerve mixing together. "N-no, no. I swear, I don't know him."_

 

_Baekhyun squints at him but let it go, urging them to walk now if they don't want to miss the bus. The words and other things written on the wall stays at the back of his mind._

 

 

_Baekhyun, with Minseok and Tao went to the room 1-14 with determined look on the former's face._

 

_Kyungsoo had whimpered when Baekhyun slams both of fists, one of them gripping a red pencil, a frown prominent on his brows. Minseok sighs but didn't say anything. And told him he needs to talk to that Kim Jongin because Kyungsoo doesn't really like getting embarrassed._

 

_Baekhyun snoops around at the door, looking around but he can't suspect anyone to be that Kim Jongin kid._

 

_"Is Kim Jongin here in the class?"_

 

_A boy looks at them in curiously and turns his head towards the opposite direction where the windows are._

 

_"Jongin! Studentd from room 1-12 are looking for you!"_

 

_No one says anything but Baekhyun sees the three guys from yesterday ginning from ear to ear and the guy with creepy smile pokes Jongin, who is looking outside the window, on the shoulder._

 

_"Luhan!" the boy grumbles, still looking outside._

 

_The mischievous guy named Luhan pokes Jongin again on his shoulder._

 

_"They're looking for you!"_

 

_That prompts Jongin to look at Luhan and Baekhyun sucks a breathe to ready himself from scolding this kid for writing something on that wall._

 

_Jongin turns to them and smiles, welcoming and polite while sprinting to them._

 

_"Hello!" Jongin says cheerily and Baekhyun huffs because Kim Jongin is tall and good looking._

 

_"Kyungsoo said don't write anything at the wall again," he says with authority and not even sorry that he said Kyungsoo said it because the latter's meek and embarrassed to even talk about it._

 

_The boy visibly flinch at the mention of Kyungsoo's name, a light blush blooming on his cheeks._

 

_"I- I don't know what you're talking about," Kim Jongin says, stuttering a bit and Baekhyun tilts his head to the side because Jongin blushes at the mention of his friend. Surely, he wrote those embarrassing words at the wall._

 

_An annoying voice makes it's existence known by butting in._

 

_"Jongin says he likes Kyungsoo!" Luhan says accusingly at Jongin but still grinning. His two other friends on his side again._

 

_"He said Doh-ssi looks cute!" the guy on Luhan's right side says._

 

_Baekhyun watches the exchanges in mixed amusement and annoyance._

 

_"Taemin's right!" the guy on Luhan's left side says. "So we wrote on the wall for you since you're a coward dumpling!"_

 

_Jongin's surprised expression is enough of an answer. He didn't write something on the wall._

 

_"I didn't-" Jongin couldn't finish his words as Luhan starts singing._

 

_" **Put your head on my shoulder, hold me in your arms** ~" Luhan sings soulfully, his body slowly moving and eyes closed._

 

_" **Baby** ~" the other two sings in deep voice._

 

_" **Squeeze me oh so tight** ~"_

 

_" **Show me** ~"_

 

_Jongin bows his head in embarrassment and the tips of his ears are all red now._

 

_Baekhyun huffs again and turns to Minseok and Tao. "Let's go!" he states and drags the other two with him._

 

 

_Kyungsoo's carrying a trashcan when his three friends run to him, Baekhyun looks pissed off but he's also smiling. He stops and leans his upper body back when Baekhyun stops in front of his while Minseok and Tao follow._

 

_"You done throwing the trash?" Minseok asks and he nods._

 

_"We told Jongin to not write anything on the wall again!"_

 

_A squeak leaves his mouth and he looks down, embarrassment and envy invading his mind. How come his friends saw Jongin already while he hasn't? He's just curious because no one, nobody has ever express any liking towards him._

 

_"Let's go upstairs," Tao beckons and Baekhyun follows, snaking his arm on Tao's while Minseok stays beside him._

 

_"Aren't you happy you won't be embarrassed again?" Minseok says while taking the trash can from Kyungsoo._

 

_Kyungsoo's a bit taken aback from the question but he hums, because he doesn't really know what to answer to that._

 

_They go upstairs at the right side, meaning they'll start passing by at room 1-15. Meaning they'll pass by at room 1-14 to go their respective room at 12th._

 

_He feels a bit nervous and cautious, but more importantly he's curious but when they pass by the door of room 1-14, he tries to look. He side eyes but he can't really see much._

 

_A disappointed sigh escapes Kyungsoo's mouth and he pouts._

 

 

_"Kyungsoo!"_

 

_The said boy looks away from his book and stands up. Classes are not starting in half an hour._

 

_His confusion must be clear on his face and he hasn't make a move, just standing beside her table._

 

_"Kyungsoo!" Minseok calls again and beckons him to come, his friend looking outside the window and he walks closer. Once he's beside his friend, Minseok stretches out an arm outside the window, pointing a finger at a boy on ground._

 

_"Look! That's Kim Jongin," Minseok informs and Kyungsoo tries to look, squinting even if he's wearing his eyeglasses._

 

_There, he sees, a boy in yellow sweater with a baseball gloves on his hand; throwing a baseball and getting the ball back in swift move on his thick baseball gloves._

 

_A human body collides to Kyungsoo's back and he groans, when he sees Baekhyun and Tao hugging him. He squirms while Minseok just chuckles at them._

 

_"He's a star player," Minseok says again._

 

_"Who?" Baekhyun asks in with a pout. Kyungsoo still tries to pry Baekhyun's arm away but no avail of doing so. Especially Tao is being a baby and nuzzling on his side._

 

_"Jongin," Minseok replies. "Yixing can't even see his hand's moves."_

 

_Tao grumbles with a roll of eyes at the mention of Yixing, a year older and Minseok's teammate at soccer. "We're not athlete like you. We don't know what you're saying."_

 

_Baekhyun nods. "What's amazing for you athletes are not amazing to us."_

 

_Minseok shrugs with a knowing but calm smile._

 

_"You'll see. Our class gonna compete with them tomorrow for the P.E class," he says. "Only Sehun can actually hit his throw but needs lots of practice."_

 

_Kyungsoo's just listening to his friends' exchange of words and all four of them are too busy to gossip about other things now._

 

_It halts when someone shouted Kyungsoo's name._

 

_All four of them look down to see Luhan holding a soccer ball that he's using to poke Jongin on the shoulder. Kyungsoo frowns until Jongin shrugs Luhan away, saying something muted to them but makes Luhan bursts into a laughing fit._

 

_"Kyungsoo! Jongin says he's shy so don't look at him!"_

 

_Kyungsoo's eyes got bigger at the words, lowering his head as tint of rose blooms on his cheeks from embarrassment. Baekhyun bited back with his own teasing to Luhan but he didn't say anything, too scared to see the baseball player's reaction._

 

_His face couldn't get warmer and more red when Baekhyun shouts that Luhan sucks on soccer which Luhan took personally._

 

 

_Cold morning and the sun hiding on clouds, the try out happen the very next day. Nine players from class 1-12 and nine players from class 1-14. Whole class of each high school freshmen class come to support. Luhan, Taemin and Seungwoon, the trio from class 1-14 even have headband made of paper on their head with capital letters **K** - **I** - **M** and number **88** in bold._

 

_The players move into two lines, facing each other and bows._

 

_The assigned players go to their places now, Sehun swinging his baseball bat on the air for practice._

 

_Their P.E teacher, Mr. Choi whistles on his metal pea whistle and players arrange their position now._

 

_The game starts, which Kyungsoo doesn't understand at all. He knows nothing about the game but he needs to watch for attendance. The game passes with Baekhyun growling beside him because Minseok hyung is lying, no one's better than Sehun. Minutes passed and the game just got thriller, as the sitting players at the side cheers for Sehun's strikes._

 

_The time for changing the pitcher starts, Sehun moving away from his place and removing the gloves to take the bat. The cheers just got louder when Jongin replaces Sehun, standing on the narrow square drawn at the ground._

 

_Luhan stands up, both of his palm on his mouth as he shouts._

 

_"Jongin!" Luhan shrills. "Do your best! Kyungsoo is watching you!"_

 

_Students laugh and some even snorts from laughter, some are teasing and Jongin visibly blushes but a determined look on his face._

 

_Kyungsoo cowers, lowering his head as his classmates tease him and ignoring Baekhyun's look from beside of his face. The latter stands up hesitantly, craddling his mouth too and shouts a cheer for Sehun._

 

_"Oh Sehun! Hit it!"_

 

_Mr. Choi whistles again, louder this time._

 

_Jongin stances his left leg and tilts his upper body, the baseball craddled on his gloved hand and other palm, his arms above his head._

 

_"Throw! Go!"_

 

_And Jongin serves, throwing the baseball forcefully on the air and Sehun whips his bat._

 

_"Strike!"_

 

_The balls passed from the bat and went straight to the brown glove of the catcher, making Sehun gawks._

 

_Luhan jumps and Seungwoon shouts about his bestfriend killing the game at first pitch._

 

_"Catch!" Luhan screams on top of his lungs._

 

_To say that Kyungsoo's surprise is a big understatement. Sehun is a son of a baseball player, his older brother being one too. No matter how stereotype he thinks, it's a surprise to see someone better than Sehun._

 

_Baekhyun stands up beside him, can't believe too that someone might be really better than their Sehun._

 

_Kyungsoo whips his head when Baekhyun sneers at him._

 

_"Yah! Kyungsoo! Don't you dare cheer on them!"_

 

_Kyungsoo sputters and waves his knit gloved hands, shaking his head while stuttering on his words. "O-of course, I won't!" he replies frantically._

 

_Tao stands up too and shouts for Sehun to hit the ball. Students from class 1-12 start to cheer for their player and Kyungsoo's one of them, hammering his fist on the air while shouting encouragement to their classmate to hit the ball._

 

_Mr. Choi whistles again. "Stance!" he shouts._

 

_Jongin now is on the first base, Jongdae now pitching._

 

_This time, Sehun did hit the ball with his bat and doesn't waste anytime and sprints._

 

_But Jongin catches the ball as Sehun reaches the first base, groaning in frustration as students from class 1-12 shouts in victory._

 

_Screams of Kim Jongin and 88 fills the field. Baekhyun's arms slowly limping while processing just what happened._

 

_Kyungsoo grips both of his hands into fists as amazement fills his mind, staring at Jongin arranging his cap._

 

_"Wow.." a whisper escapes out of his mouth unconsciously, his eyes trained on a certain tanned player._

 

_Jongin comes back on the pitching base. Mr. Choi shouts stance and Jongin did so. He throws the ball that travels at the air faster than the hitter whips his bat. The catcher catches the ball and the class from class 1-14 make noises in victory again._

 

_Mr. Choi shouts again for stance. Jongin throws and students didn't have time to gasp as the ball meets the catcher's gloves._

 

_"Strike!" Mr. Choi shouts as Luhan throws his headband on ground, Taemin carrying Seungwoon while both of them screaming._

 

_As the game passes by, Jongin's strikes and sprints made the crowd more alive. Kyungsoo just gapes at all the sets and as the list of Jongin's hits and pitches got longer, the harder Kyungsoo couldn't get his eyes off from the moves and calculated throws. Jongin looks like he's not just throwing. He knows the opponent's moves making him knowing where angle to throw and when to hit the ball. He knows how to catch it with his gloved left hand._

 

_Kyungsoo doesn't know anything about baseball. But he knows Kim Jongin is beyond great or just fine._

 

_Every five minutes, Kyungsoo has to stand up to go to the restroom to pee because of the cold weather and from the mixed emotions of excitement and admiration._

 

_By the time he comes out of the restroom for the seventh time, the game just ended favoring Jongin's team._

 

_He comes closer to pick up his bag, Tao and Baekhyun hot in front of Sehun._

 

_"You could've done better!" Baekhyun snaps and Sehun rolls his eyes. Before Sehun got the time to reply, Tao back ups Baekhyun._

 

_"You sucks!" he sneers and other classmates grumbles in disappointment because of the loss._

 

_"You don't know anything," Sehun tries to explain but goes in deaf ears._

 

_Kyungsoo subtly picks up his bag but decides to eavesdrop a bit._

 

_That's when he hears Luhan's voice so he looks for the other, his voice is really distracting. He sees Taemin and Seungwoon holding Jongin on each arm while Luhan's jumping on Jongin's back._

 

_"You should see him!" Luhan repeats and Kyungsoo cowers when he got what that meant._

 

_The teasing and pursuing continues and the voices get closer. And Kyungsoo, aftaid of talking or looking and just basically afraid of anything, thinks that running away is the easiest escape._

 

_"I-I'm going home now," he mumbles fastly and didn't wait for Minseok's reply who's the only one who heard him._

 

_He turns and walks fast with his head low, looking at the ground intently as he goes out of the school gate. Once outside, he starts to run as much as his short legs can._

 

_"Look! He left!" Luhan says, pointing on a running Kyungsoo outside the gate._

 

_He missed the disappointment look on Jongin's face._

 

 

_He breathes rapidly, eyes still trained on the ground and taking big steps, his hands gripping on the straps of his leather bag. Faint running sound reaches his ear and he stops when a shadow appears on the path._

 

_He looks up and sees Jongin, out of breathe from running at the short cut, still wearing P.E uniform and baseball gloves on his left arm. The sun glows behind him making his shadow more prominent._

 

_Kyungsoo stares for a while. Seconds passed and he feels like it's already been hours even if its barely even a minute of awkwardly standing and staring at each other._

 

_He then decides to lower his head down again, walking cautiously because of the other's presence._

 

_He passes by at Jongin and just as he's about to turn at the left alley, Jongin speaks._

 

_"The wall.."_

 

_He stops at the stuttering voice, the other not visible in his sight._

 

_"The s-stuff there.." Jongin stutters again._

 

_Kyungsoo turns around to acknowledge Jongin, not looking but facing Jongin now._

 

_"Uhm.." Jongin starts again and another set of seconds pass by._

 

_Kyungsoo contemplates if he should leave now but Jongin speaks again, louder and sounding like a squeak. Like he just thought of it but the words are clear._

 

_"Sunny day.." Jongin stops for a seconds and proceeds. "Cloudy day or rainy days.. Which one you like the most?"_

 

_Kyungsoo just stares. Stares at how Jongin fidgets on his fingers._

 

_He looks down and again, missed the way Jongin's shoulders deflate._

 

_"Uhm.."_

 

_Jongin perks up at the sound._

 

_Kyungsoo shifts on his feet and after some seconds of berating with his own self inside his brain, he looks up._

 

_"Cloudy day.."_

 

**_Catch!_ **

 

_"Ah! Me too!" Jongin beams._

 

_Kyungsoo looks down and grips on the strap of his bag tighter. And looks up again to see Jongin looking surprised before turning into a shy boy, holding his earlobe with his fingers._

 

_Jongin's good six feet away but the blush on his cheeks are still noticeable._

 

_Kyungsoo's about to say something, but Jongin gives him a full blown smile._

 

**_Catch!_ **

 

_Jongin turns the other way, running at the alley, throwing and catching his baseball while jumping._

 

_Kyungsoo stares as Jongin's back side gets smaller, far and until Jongin turns to a corner to the right._

 

_Slowly, a smile blooms on his lips, cheeks turning red and he too turns to the alley heading home, giggling to his palm and feeling like running, swimming on mountains of clouds._

 

 

 

Kyungsoo stares at the ceiling, lying on top of his bed. The sight of his ceiling fan bores him normally but right now, staring on it is the only thing he can do.

 

" _Sunny day, cloudy day or rainy day.. Which one you like the most?_ " he mumbles.

 

" _Ah! Me too!_ "

 

Seconds passes inside of his dark room. A smile suddenly makes way on his lips as he turns on his side, giddily clutching the bedsheets of his bed.

 

 

"I swear, I really think Chanyeol likes me," Baekhyun grumbles as they pass round a corner. Kyungsoo rolls his eyes dramatically and immediately turn polite when a professor greets them.

 

"Why don't you ask him?" he suggests and smiles when he spots Zitao. The taller yawns, covering his mouth with his manicured fingers.

 

"Where's Minseok?" Baekhyun asks as they walk to the university's cafeteria. Tao snorts and opens the door for them. The smell of waffle and butter makes Kyungsoo smile instantly.

 

"With his teammates, of course," Tao replies. Baekhyun sits on a vacant chair with a huff, beckoning Tao and Kyungsoo to do the same across him.

 

"Until when is he going to deny he's fucking Luhan?" Baekhyun asks and Tao lets out a sound again, presumably a scoff.

 

Kyungsoo grimaces and sends Baekhyun a look.

 

"Guys!"

 

All three of them looks at Minseok entering the cafeteria.

 

"Sorry, I was with Jongdae."

 

Baekhyun hums with suspicion, malice clear pn his tone. "Of course."

 

The reply sends the table into another round of teasing and pointing fingers, opening up issues about each other.

 

The cafeteria door opens and Luhan's loud mouth enters. Behind him, soccer and baseball players of the university follow, walking in dozens like guards.

 

And he sees him. Jongin, with Sehun now beside him. Taemin and Seungwoon nowhere to be found though Jongin remains friends with them.

 

Five years have passed. Kyungsoo's fifteen years old self can still remember Sehun and Jongin on a shallow rivalry after that certain game. Now here they are, playing on the same team to represent their university.

 

They both go the same university, a understatement since the owner of their high school campus is the same owner of the university. It's like it's the university you're supposed to go after highschool.

 

And even if they have mutual friends, that is not enough to makes them friends. They're not completely strangers. But not even acquaintance, too.

 

Some might say why, what happened after that day?

 

Nothing really has changed. In highschool, they never shared class and they seem like both ignored the simple admiration towards each other that's why it passed now.

 

But Kyungsoo is not stupid to missed Jongin's glances from the past years. The subtle stares and tint on his cheeks whenever he's near. He knows it's a bit inappropriate to assume but he's more than sure Jongin still has that feeling for him.

 

Five years have passed? But Jongin's admiration and infatuation is still visible even if he tries to be discreet.

 

It always sends burn on his chest, knowing he's not the only one who hasn't left the fast.

 

Jongin looks up and catches his eyes. The other's mouth gapes a bit, staring at him but them Sehun talks again about something that Jongin tunes out to again.

 

Kyungsoo would feel upset for getting ignored. But the way Jongin bites his lower lip and the way the tips of his ears get red makes him want to smile. But he didn't. He just let the warm feeling there inside his chest.

 

 

The weather is unforgiving again. Raindrops on the asphalt and on the roofs can be heard on the whole place. The ground can't even be smell like petrichor after hours of rain when another set of drizzles pour.

 

Kyungsoo whines on himself, regretting that he pushed Baekhyun to go home earlier and he's now alone walking to the back exit of the chemistry building.

 

The facility's clear except for the janitor and two student officers walking and probably going upstairs. Other buildings must be filled, but chemistry building is not. One of the reasom why he hates the building closing at 5pm.

 

He steps out of the glass door, closing it as softly as he can while grimacing at the cold  and little drops of water carried by howling wind.

 

"Regrets. Regrets.." he mumbles to his self while wiping the droplets off on her forearm. He shivers and felt more cold at the realization that he doesn't have any jacket or protection. Let alone umbrella that he lend to Baekhyun earlier.

 

"God, I don't like rain.." he groans again.

 

 _"I know_.."

 

Kyungsoo's head whips to his right side to see a tall guy in gray sweater and denim jacket, holding a translucent umbrella. The other seems like he realized too what he said or what he did and looks at Kyungsoo too, caught in deer light.

 

Jongin's the one who breaks the silence.

 

"I'm sorry! I mean, you told me before you like cloudy day so it's understandable you don't like rainy days.." Jongin says and winces after letting out those words.

 

Kyungsoo's still dumbfounded, shocked but not unpleasant. Jongin looks so embarrassed and the way he tugs on his earlobe looks so endearing.

 

How come Kyungsoo seems to remain calm and composed when all he did these past few years is looking at Jongin from a distance is a mystery.

 

He lets out a chuckle that makes Jongin look back at him.

 

"That waa five years ago," he mutters with a smile, adjusting his glass frame on the bridge of his nose.

 

"Yeah.." Jongin shyly replies.

 

And nothing happened after that.

 

A strong sense of _de javu_ fills Kyungsoo's mind because this feels like before. Why does this kinda feel like what happened at the alley.

 

"Here," Jongin says.

 

Kyungsoo looks at the arm, stretched, holding the umbrella in front of him.

 

He looks at Jongin. And then at the ground. At the rain still on its roll.

 

He looks at Jongin and looks down on Jongin's sneakers, smiling at the way Jongin pokes the floor with the toe tip of his shoes.

 

"What about let's just share?" Kyungsoo offers with a smile.

 

_Catch!_

 

Jongin snaps his head up to look at him. Visibly surprised but his expression turns soft, enticed at the rose tint on Kyungsoo's cheeks.

 

Jongin looks down again before looking up at him, biting back on lower lip to not let a smile slip.

 

_Catch!_

 

"Okay," Jongin replies, a full blown smile now on his face.

 

_Catch!_

**Author's Note:**

> Subscriptions, kudos, and comments are very much appreciated! :)


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